Fulham secured a second 3-2 victory in four days after a hard fought battle against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night.

Things started badly when Pajtim Kasami volleyed in just two minutes into his Craven Cottage return, but a lovely team move finished off by Tom Cairney levelled matters.

A fine solo goal from Lucas Piazon then gave the Whites the lead, but that was quickly cancelled out after the restart through Ben Brereton’s header.

But it was Fulham who took the spoils when Neeskens Kebano came off the bench to turn home Sone Aluko’s pass, although it went down as an own goal by Forest captain Jack Hobbs.

Slaviša Jokanović made three changes to the side that beat Wigan Athletic at the weekend, with Ragnar Sigurdsson, Ryan Sessegnon and Piazon coming in for Michael Madl, Scott Malone and Chris Martin, all of whom were named on the bench.

After kicking off with former Whites man Ross McCormack, Forest threatened inside 40 seconds when Matty Cash cut inside from the right and had a go from outside the box, but he slipped as he made contact and rattled it wide.

It was another ex-Fulham employee who broke the deadlock a minute later. Sigurdsson’s miscontrol allowed the visitors to apply pressure on the edge of the box, with Kasami then volleying a fine strike across goal and inside the far post. Muted celebrations from the Switzerland international followed.

Sessegnon then capitalised on a loose McCormack touch at the other end to break into the box and find Cairney. He squared the ball to Aluko who sent in a powerful effort, but it was blocked by a man in red.

A wayward clearance by David Button in the 18th minute dropped straight to Ben Osborn 40 yards from goal. He got it under control and sent a dipping volley on target, but Button was across quickly to make the save.

It had been a frustrating game so far for the Whites, but some neat passing created a half chance for Sessegnon in the 25th minute, but he was unable to generate the power required to trouble Vladimir Stojkovic in the Putney End goal.

The Serbian ‘keeper was a lot less comfortable two minutes later though when Sessegnon fired in a dangerous cross-shot after being fed by Piazon, that Stojkovic palmed away at full-stretch.

Forest struggled to get the ball clear from the subsequent corner and it eventually ended with some neat footwork from Aluko, but after flicking the ball over a defender’s head he fired off target with a difficult volley.

An early substitution followed, with Madl coming on for Sigurdsson.

Bang on the half hour mark a goal of pure quality restored parity. Patient, patient play on the edge of the box led to Stefan Johansen spotting the run of Sessegnon, and his inch-perfect cross was swept into the far corner first time by Cairney.

That galvanised the home side and it was 2-1 moments later, with an effort of equal class. This time it was individual brilliance as Piazon shimmied beyond three Forest players as if they weren’t there before coolly passing a low shot beyond Stojkovic.

Piazon had switched to the right wing and was getting much more joy down that flank, next sending in Ayité who’d made a good run, but his shot was blocked by Joe Worrall.

There was outrage throughout Craven Cottage two minutes before half-time when Aluko showed great strength to get beyond Daniel Fox and into a dangerous position in the area, but referee Mr Linnington decided he’d fouled the left-back.

Just as was the case at the beginning of the game, Forest scored with just two minutes played after the restart. Fox whipped in a cross from the left and Brereton rose unmarked to glance an excellent header beyond the reach of Button.

Five minutes later Aluko managed to squirm through a flurry of Forest bodies in the area, but he was eventually crowded out and Stojkovic smothered his poke towards goal.

The visiting fans behind the goal thought Kasami had put his side in front shortly after when he wriggled into a shooting position, but his effort went the wrong side of the post.

Not long after the hour mark, Saturday’s match-winner Kebano replaced Ayité.

With 66 minutes on the clock Madl found himself booked for bringing down Kasami 25 yards from goal in a central position. The home fans watched with baited breath as it was certainly McCormack territory, but thankfully he sent his free-kick way over the crossbar.

Kebano thought he’d grabbed his second goal in as many games in the 72nd minute when he ghosted into the area unnoticed to get on the end of Aluko’s ball over the top and volley inside the far post via a deflection off Hobbs. Annoyingly for Neeskens, it went down as an own goal, though.

Forest’s first changes then saw Zach Clough and David Vaughan come on for Aaron Tshibola and Kasami.

In the 79th minute Kevin McDonald took advantage of plenty of space in front of him to gallop forward with the ball, but he lashed at his effort from distance and cleared the frame of the goal.

The Whites’ final change five minutes later saw Aluko depart for Scott Parker, while Forest’s last throw of the dice saw striker Britt Assombalonga come on for defender Daniel Pinillos.

There was controversy in the third minute of stoppage time when Fox elbowed Johansen in an off the ball incident, but he was leniently just given a yellow card.

A hairy moment a minute later saw Vaughan send a bouncing half volley towards goal that thankfully dropped just wide of the post.

Kebano could have given his side a two goal advantage in the sixth minute of time added on only to clip the foot of the post after breaking through, but it mattered not as Fulham held on to make it back to back wins.